Refrigeration apparatus



March 16, 1937. L N 2,073,771.

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed July 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'Wm vv a OB/Yfy March 16, 1937. E. WILSON 2,073,771

7 v REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed July 5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,073,771 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Edward Wilson, St. Louis, Mo. Application .lluly 5, 1925, Serial No. 29,775

24 Claims. (01. 62-115) This invention relates generally to compressors and pumps, and particularly to compressors and pumps of the type wherein a heavy liquid, such as mercury, is circulated by impeller mechanisms to force air or gas through the apparatus. The structure disclosed herein is an improvement on the somewhat similar structures disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,717,081 granted to me on June 11, 1929.

The invention is particularly intended for use with refrigerating apparatus, and, briefly stated, said invention provides a compact and simplified apparatus intended for use as a compressor or ,pump of the mercury, high vacuum type, and includes a rotary impeller mechanism mounted for operation in a novel relationship with respect to co-operating parts of the structure, whereby air or gas' is taken into the apparatus between quantities of liquid and is dis'chargedand compressed above the level of the liquid and piped from the apparatus for use, the predominant object of the invention being to provide such an apparatus with an impeller mechanism of such improved construction and arrangement that improved results are obtained in the operation of the apparatus.

Stated more particularly, a leading feature of the invention consists in an improved arrangement and location of the bearings supporting the armature of themotor and the impeller mechanism. This novel arrangement consists in providing a bearing of vertically spaced ball bearing structures between the armature and the rotor for rotatably supporting the motor and the rotor unit of the impeller mechanism, which not only results in gFeat simplification of the structure, but in connection with the use of conventional pre-lubricated and sealed bearings enables me to dispense entirely with the use of other lubricant, and thus obviates the disadvantages of. oil vapor floating along with the gas, which in time frequently causes the pipes through which the gas is circulated to become coated, thereby lowering the efficiency of the machine in refrigeration, and moreover, such oil vapors will often cause valves used in the system to stick and put the system out of operation. Further, by sealing the lubricant from contact with the mercury, I avoid the possibility of such lubricant forming an emulsion with the mercury, which would ultimately destroy its fluidity.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a vortex chamber within an annular rotor provided with impeller blades at its lower open end and on the upper wall of the chamber, whereby with the motor rotating with its lower end submerged in liquid, the liquid will be forced upward into the chamber, and the impeller blades at the top thereof will engage the liquid and not only facilitate the rotation thereof, but will thereby tend to prevent splashing of the liquid and to maintain its continuityas a liquid mass, which is desirable as it insures that the liquid will operate with the highest eificiency in functioning as a liquid piston in drawing gas into 10 the system and dispelling it therefrom to compress it, as will later appear.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a double wall container for the mercury, with means for controllably by-passing an 15 amount of the liquid refrigerant into the space or chamber provided between the two walls, with the object of cooling the container for the marcury and the mercury or other liquid therein.

Another feature of the invention, and one con- 20 sidered of great importance, is a novel construction and arrangement of the chambers provided in the wall of the rotor through which the mercury is forced by centrifugal action in alternation with the gas, one body of mercury exerting 25 suction on the gas and a succeeding body of mercury forcing the gas out of the chamber. This arrangement is distinguished from the chambers of my prior patent referred to in that they are non-radial, and provided with a curved inlet por- 30 tion, preventing an abrupt change in the direction of flow of the mercury as i is caused to enter and discharge from said chambers; In other words, these chambers are so arranged as to act on the turbine principle, the re-action of the mer- 35 cury on the walls of said chambers tending to rotate the rotor, rather than to retard its rotation, as would be the result with the use of chambers disposed radially, as in my prior patent. Moreover, in place of a relatively large num- 40 ber of such chambers, I employ only two chambers located diametrically opposite each other and extended in opposite directions. The bores of these chambers are smooth, and while each chamber has a constricted outlet, this is produced by 45 tapering the walls of the chambers to a desired extent, thus avoiding the presentation of any obstacle to the free discharge of the mercury from the chambers, such as the shoulders surrounding the small outlet apertures from the radial cham- 50 bers in my prior construction.

A final feature of the invention consists in roviding the chambers in the rotor with'an en-' larged or flared upper portion at the inlet end thereof to'increase the size of said inlet, where 55 by when said chambers pass over the baflles which prevent the inlet of mercury to the chambers,

the upper part of the inlet will be disposed opposite gas passages in the bailies to permit gas to ,5 be drawn into the chambers.

The above enumeration of characteristic features of the invention is not intended to be exelusive, and other features entering into the general combination will be pointed out in the course of the detailed description of the invention to follow.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the impeller mechanism on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower portion of the apparatus taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the improved compressor or pump as a part of a refrigerating apparatus.

In the drawings, wherein are shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, A (Fig. 5) designates the improved apparatus generally. The apparatus A includes a casing which comprises a lower casing portion B and an upper casing portion C, said lower casing portion including an outer enclosing wall I, a top wall 2, an inner bottom -3 which is curved upwardly to provide an annular, inner side wall 4, which merges into the top wall 2, and an outer bottom wall 5 which curves upwardly and merges into the outer enclosing wall I (see Fig. 1). The inner bottom wall, inner side wall, and top wall provide a compression chamber 6, and the outer bottom wall, the outer enclosing wall, the inner bottom wall, and the inner side wall provide a suction chamber 44 hereinafter referred to. The motor I for operating the apparatus is supported above the top wall 2 and is enclosed within the upper casing portion C, which is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower casing portion B, as indicated at C in Figs. 1 and 3.

The inner bottom wall 3 is provided with a boss portion 8 having an opening 8' formed therethrough, and at the upper end of this opening the said bottom wall is recessed as indicated at 9 to provide the opening with an enlarged portion. The opening 8' receives the lower end portion of a nozzle structure II), which is provided with an annular, outwardly extended flange portion II which, together with the gasket H, is received in seated relation in the recess 9. The extreme lower end portion l2 of the nozzle structure is externally screw-threaded, and this screwthreaded portion receives a nut l3 which is forced into close contact with the lower face of the boss portion 8 so as to draw the lower face of the flange portion ll of the nozzle structure downwardly, whereby the gasket H is drawn into firm contact with the shoulder at the base of the recess 9. In this manner the nozzle structure I0 is securely attached to the inner bottom wall 3, and a tight joint between said parts is obtained. The nozzle structure is prevented from rotating by a key l0.

The nozzle structure I0 is provided with an opening l4 extended vertically therethrough which is of larger diameter at its lower portion than at the upper portion thereof, the extreme lowerend portion of said opening being screwthreaded, as shown in Fig. 1. .The screw-threaded lower end portion of the opening l4 receives a screw-threaded plug l5, this plug being provided with an opening I6 formed vertically therethrough from end to end thereof. The plug 15 is provided at its upper end with an extension I! which forms a seat for a disk valve 18 that is adapted to close the opening l6 against passage of fluid therethrough in a downward direction from the opening I4, said disk valve being capable of being unseated by fluid moving upwardly through the opening [6. The disk valve I8 is enclosed within a cage fixedly supported by the plug l5, whereby the movement of said disk valve is limited.

The nozzle structure includes a pair of horizontal arms 20 which extend outwardly from the upright portion of the nozzle structure, said arms being provided with gas or air passageways 2| formed longitudinally therethrough which communicate at their inner ends with the opening l4. At the outer ends of the arms 20 the nozzle structure includes arcuate portions 22 providing baiiies for interrupting the flow of liquid at certain times, which portions 22 extend laterally in opposite directions from the arms, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and extend downwardly from said arms, as shown in Fig. 1. The arcuate portions 22 are provided with recesses 22' with which the gas passageways 2| communicate at their outer ends.

The effective, or circumferential, length of these recesses relative to the width of the inner ends of chambers 36 is such as to establish a time factor for the passage of gas into the chambers, the duration of which communication between recesses 22' and chambers 36 will be cut off before the entire volume of mercury is discharged from the chambers, thus maintaining in each chamber an outwardly-moving liquid piston which prevents the re-entrance of compressed gas into said chambers from the compression chamber. This timing and relation of parts thus assures that none of the highly compressed gas in the compression chamber can pass back into the vertical passage M of the impeller.

Secured to the armature I of the motor I by means of bolts 23' is a tubular element 23 which extends downwardly from said motor, as shown in Fig. l. The tubular element 23 is provided with annular, outwardly extended flanges at its top and bottom, and attached to said tubular element by means of fastening devices 24 which pass through apertures formed in the bottom flange is anannular rotor 25 which constitutes a part of the impeller mechanism of the compressor. The rotor 25 is set in an opening 26 formed in the top wall 2 of the lower casing portion B, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, and the wall of. said opening 26 is provided with a plurality of annular grooves or depressions 21 which serve a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

The impeller rotor 25 is made in two parts.

which are designated by the reference characters 25 and 25 and said parts are secured together by the fastening devices 24 already referred to so as to produce a unitary structure. This two-part arrangement of the rotor 25 facilitates assembling of the compressor. The part 25 of the impeller rotor includes a lower portion 28 which extends obliquely downwardly and inwardly in the form of an annular flange (see Fig. 1), there being an annular space or passageway 29 between the inner edge of the portion 28 and the circumferential face of the nozzle structure ID to provide an intake passageway for'fiuid into the vortex chamber 29' within the rotor 25, The upper part 25 of the impeller rotor includes an inwardly extended annular wallportion 30, which is cut away at its top face to provide an annular depression 3|. The tubular element 23 is provided with a downwardly extended annular rib 32 which. 5 contacts with the annular side 'wall of the de- 15 Formed on the downwardly and inwardly ex-.

tended portion 28 of the impeller rotor 25 is a pair of oppositely disposed impeller vanes 35,

which extend upwardly from said portion 28 at an angle to the perpendicular, as shown in Fig. 1. 20 By referring to Figs 2 and 3, the arrangement of these vanes will be seen. It is to be noted that the vanes 35 are spaced inwardly from the annular face of the body portion of the impeller rotor to provide spaces 35'. The lower open end of the rotor formed by the annular flange 28 is normally submerged in the liquid within the chamber 6. As the rotor is rotated the impeller vanes 35 force the liquid upward into the vortex chamber 29', whence it is adapted to be discharged by centrifugal force through chambers formed in and extending through the wall of the rotor. The location, construction; and arrangement of these chambers is an important feature of the invention, and the same will now be described.

Formed through the annular portion of the impeller rotor 25 at oppositely disposed points are chambers 36. The chambers 36 are open at the inner face of the annular impeller rotor and extend outwardly from said inner face of said rotor to the outer, annular face thereof, where the chambers 36 are open also, the openings of the chambers at the outer face of the rotor beingreduced in size with respect to the chamber openings at the inner face of the rotor by tapering said chambers outwardly. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that the openings of the chambers at the inner face of the annular rotor 25 are flared at their upper portions, as 50 indicated at 31 in Fig. 1, so as to provide said openings with upwardly extended portions. With respect to the.chambers 35, it is tobe noted in Fig. 2 that each thereof includes a curved inner portion 36 and a tapered portion 36 having a smooth bore which extends tangentially to said curved portion to the outer face of the rotor.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the curved, outer face of the arcuate baiiies 60 22 of the nozzle structure are located in close proximity to the inner face of the annular 1m.-

peller rotor 25. It will also be noted from Fig.

1 that the flared upper portions 31 of the inner openings of the chambers 36 place the recesses 65 22 and the passageways 2|, formed through the horizontal arms 20 and baffles 22, in communication with said chambers 36 during the time such flared portions are passing over the spaces occupied by said recesses.

70 Extended upwardly from the nozzle structure is a spindle 38, which is provided with a portion 3B about which a ball bearing structure 39 is arranged, one raceway of the ball bearing structure being fixed to the spindle and the other raceway 75 being movable with the tubular element 23. The

spindle at a point adjacent to its upper end is provided with a portion 38 with which is associated another ball bearing structure 40, the raceways of which are fixed to the spindle and the tubular element, respectively. It, will be noted that each of the ball bearing structures is abutted against a shoulder formed on the spindle and that each ball bearing structure is forced against said shoulder and is held in place by a nut 4! which is mounted on the spindle 38. The arrangement of providing a pair of vertically spaced ball bearing structures between the armature and the rotor, for rotatably supporting the motor and the rotor unit of the impeller mechanism, results in great simplification of the structure. Also, with respect to the ball bearing structures, I employ a type of ball bearing which is now available on the market, and which is lubricated with grease at the factory where made and designed to retain the lubricant indefinitely, so that it need not thereafter be lubricated. Thus lubrication of the ball bearings 39 and 40, which are the only parts requiring lubrication, is entirely done away with after the improved structure goes into use. I thus overcome many difiiculties encountered when oil mist or vapor is carried along with the gas in a refrigerating machine and prevents the realization of high vacuum in vacuum pumps.

As shown in Fig. 5, the conductor 42, when the improved apparatus serves as' a part of the refrigerating structure, leads from the liquid receiver R of the refrigerating structure, while the conductor 43 leads from the evaporator E of said refrigerating structure. These conductors are connected to the outer wall structure of the lower casing portion B by suitable fittings so as to cause said conductors to communicate with the chamber 44. The bottom wall of the lower casing portion is provided with an opening 45, and this opening is closed by a removable plate 46 which has a gasket 46' associated therewith. Also, a conductor 41 is connected by'suitable fittings to the wall structure of the upper casing portion C, so that said conductor 41 communicates with the pressure chamber 48. In a case where the improved structure is associated with a refrigerating apparatus, the conductor 41 leads to the condenser of the refrigerating apparatus. At the opposite side of the upper casing portion C the wall structure thereof is provided with openings that receive suitable plugs 49 to which are attached electric wires which conduct electrical energy to the motor 'I.

It will be noted that openings 50 are formed through the lower portion of the tubular element 23. These openings 50 place the space 33 above the annular wall portion 30 of the impeller rotor 25 in communication with the pressure chamber 48. Also, openings which are formed through the part 25 of the impeller rotor 25 place the space 33 in communication wtih the compression chamber 6, as shown in Fig. 3. These openings are inclined in a downward and outward direction for the purpose of preventing the mercury or other liquid in the compression chamber from being forced upwardly through said openings by centrifugal action.

In operation as a refrigerating machine, or asa vacuum pump, a sufficient quantity of mercury L is maintained in the machine to about the level shown in Fig. 1, in which the lower periphery of the flange 28 and the lower end portions of the impeller vanes 35 are immersed. The other parts of the impeller mechanism are located above the level of the liquid L. When the motor is running the impeller mechanism is rotated, with the result that liquid is lifted into and fills the chamber 28' and is whirled about by the impeller vanes at about the speed of the rotor 25, whereby centrifugal force causes said liquid to be impelled into the chambers 36 and forced outwardly through the reduced choke outlets thereof. When these chambers 36 are passing the bailles 22, the flow of mercury from chamber 29' into chambers 36 is interrupted and suction is created by the continued outward movement of the mercury from the chambers 36, during the time the flared portion of said chambers is in communication with recesses 22' of the baffles, with the result that the disk valve I8 is raised from its seat at the top of the extension I! of the plug l5, thus permitting gas to pass into the opening I4 of the nozzle structure and through the passageways 2i to the chambers 36 behind the bodies of liquid in the respective chambers 36. When the chambers pass beyond the arcuate baflies 22, centrifugal action again forces liquid into said chambers 36 behind the gas, thus forcing the preceding portion of liquid and the gas out of said chambers, and this operation is continued sequentially, with the result that the gas is compressed in the chamber 6 within the lower casing portion B of the machine. The gas so compressed passes from the chamber 6 and into the chamber 48 by way of the openings 5|, space 33, and openings 50, and said compressed gas is withdrawn from said chamber 48 through the conductor 41.

It is to be noted that the impeller blades 34 and 35 subject the liquid L in chamber 29' to whirling motion in unison with the rotor 25, and also it is obvious that the curved wall 6 of the chamber 6 serves to direct the liquid downwardly when bodies of liquid discharged from the chambers 36 strike said curved Wall, whereby very little splashing of the liquid results.

The labyrinth formed by the grooves 21 prevent the passage of mercury mist into the upper I chamber 48 but does not prevent the passage of compressed gas from'the chamber 6 to the chamber 48 through the space between the wall of the opening 26 and the circumferential face of the impeller rotor 25.

When the improved structure is employed as a part of a refrigerating apparatus, a small amount of liquid refrigerant may be brought through the conductor 42 into the suction chamber 44 from the liquid receiver of the refrigerating apparatus and vaporized within said chamber, for the purpose of cooling the casing of the mercury reservoir and the working parts of the improved structure which are located adjacent to, said mercury reservoir. This arrangement is shown clearly in Fig. 5, wherein A designates the improved compressor or pump, R and E respectively designate the liquid receiver and evaporator already referred to herein, and D designates a condenser. The conductors leading to and from the elements of the structure shown in Fig. 5 are obvious, and these conductors are provided with suitable valves as shown, the valve 42 being adapted toregulate the extent of the cooling effect applied to the mercury.

In Fig. 4 a modified form of the invention is illustrated in accordance with which the inner side wall 4 of the modified structure is disposed in close proximity to the peripheral face of the impeller rotor 25, except for portions of said peripheral face. at opposed points. At these points the inner side wall 4' is extended outwardly to provide spaces 55 to which portions of the peripheral face of the impeller rotor are exposed. In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the outer ends of the chambers 36 are closed by the inner wall 4 except at the positions of the spaces 55, and discharge of fluid from said chambers will take place only while the discharge ends of the chambers are passing through the spaces 55.

The gradual constriction or taper of the chambers 36 is such, however, that not all of the mercury will discharge from these chambers as their outletends pass across the respective spaces 55, and more or less of the mercury will remain in the chambers and close said outlet ends. This will prevent gas in the compression chamber 6 from passing back into the chamber 36. At the same time as the inlet ends of said chambers are brought into communication with the spaces 22 gas will be drawn by suction into said chambers, and when the outlet ends of said chambers .again pass over the walls 4 and are thereby substantially closed, at which time the inlet ends have passed beyond the bafiles 22, the incoming mercury will enter the chambers 35 and force or squeeze the gas from the inlet end thereof, whence it may pass up through the passages already described to the pressure chamber 48. It will be understood, of course, that the mercury, or other liquid, does not completely fill up the chambers 35 by entering as a solid stream, which would, of course, force the gas out of the outlet ends of the chambers, but the entrance of the liquid to the chambers is gradual, increasing in amount as the inlet end of the chambers gradually pass beyond the ends of the respective baffles. It is by reason of this fact that the gas in the chambers can be forced or squeezed out of the inlet ends thereof.

In the operation of this modified form of the invention I secure the advantage of substantially maintaining separation between the discharge of the mercury, or other liquid, and the gas, which in some cases is quite important as tending to prevent any chemical re-action between the gas and the liquid employed, or any physical entrapment of the one by the other, by minimizing the period of contact between the gas and the liquid.

During the time the outlet ends of the chambers are passing over the wall 4, the mercury or other fluid will be prevented from escaping from chambers 35 so that a quantity thereof will build up in and entirely fill the said chambers. In this way I secure the maximum suction effect, as by the. time the outer ends of the chambers start to pass across the spaces 55 a part of the body of the liquid having the cross-sectional area of the chamber will be discharged therefrom, thereby drawing into the chambers a relatively large quantity of gas with relative rapidity.

It is important to note that by providing chambers 36 of the shape illustrated in the drawings, a turbine action, or reaction, is obtained inasmuch as the fluid moving forcibly through the chambers against the angularly disposed walls of the chambers serves to assist in rotation of the impeller rotor.

In addition to preventing splashing of the metcury in the compression chamber it should also be pointed out that the vanes 34, during the time the mercury is being forced by the impellers upward into said chamber, causes said mercury to act as a liquid seal to prevent entrance of the compressed gas through parts 50 and communicating passages into the compression chamber.

I claim: 1. In a machine of the character described, the 5 combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action, said impeller mechanism providing a vortex chamber having a lower open end immersed in the liquid of said compression chamber, interior impeller blades mounted in said vortex chamber, one set of said blades extending upward from the open end of said vortex chamber and another set being located at the top of said chamber, means co-operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical inter- 20 ruption of the discharge-of said liquid from the vortex chamber of the impeller mechanism and simultaneously to establish communication with said stationary member to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created 25 by the discharging liquid, means for rotating said impeller mechanism, and a pressure chamber communicating with said compression chamber and having anoutlet for permitting the utiliza-' tion of the compressed air or gas.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a 3 circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action, means co-operating :with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to the discharge 40 from theimpeller mechanism and simultaneously'to establish communication with said stationary member to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging liquid, bearing means 45 for supporting said impeller mechanism within said compression chamber for rotation about said stationary means, means for rotating said im-.

peller mechanism, and an independent pressure chamber housing said bearing means having gas 50 passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

3. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a compression chamber ar- 55 ranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber,

rotary centrifugal impeller' mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge (30 therefrom by centrifugal action, means co operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of, said liquid to the discharge from the impeller mechanism and simultaneously-to establish communication with said stationary means to permit gas to be drawn into said impelled mechanism by suction created by the discharging liquid, an

electric motor, a member surrounding said stationary means and rigidly connecting the armature of said motor with said impeller mechanism,

bearing means for said member located between said armature and impeller mechanism, and an independent pressure chamber having gas pas- 75 sages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas into said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action, means co-operatingwith said impeller mechanism/to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to the discharge from the impeller mechanism and simultaneously to establish communication 'with said stationary member to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging fluid, an independent pressure chamber having gas passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas, an electric motor, a member surrounding said stationary member within said pressure chamber and rigidly connecting the armature of said motor and said impeller mechanism and bearing means for said member supported on said stationary means.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid and a vertical air or gas inlet nozzle opening into said compression chamber, of .a rotary centrifugal impeller device in said compression chamber, means for supporting said impeller device for rotation about said nozzle, a plurality of non-radial chambers opening through said impeller device, means ,for rotating said impeller device, said nozzle having passages for conducting air or gas to said centrifugal impeller device, means for forcing liquid. contained in said chamber centrifugally through said non-radial chambers, means co-operating with said impeller device to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to said non-radial chambers and simultaneously to establish communication with the passages in said nozzle to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller device by suction created by the discharging liquid, and a pressure chamber distinct from said compression chamber having gas passages communicating therewith and an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

6. In a machine of the charactcd described, the combination with a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid and a vertical air or gas inlet nozzle opening into said compression chamber, of a rotary centrifugal impeller device in said compression chamber, means for supporting said impelled device for rotation about said nozzle, a plurality; of non-radial chambers opening through said impeller device,

each of said chambers comprising a curved portion and a relatively short portion extended tangentially with relation to said curved portion, means for rotating said impeller device, said nozzle having-passages for conducting air or gas to said impeller device, means for forcing liquid contained in said chamber centrifugally through said non-radial chambers, means co-operating with said impeller device to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of liquid to said nonradial chambers and simultaneously to establish communication with the passages in said nozzle to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller device and said non-radial chambers by suction created by the discharging liquid, and a pressure chamber having gas communication only with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed 6 air or gas.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid and a vertical air or gas inlet nozzle opening into said com- 10 pression chamber, of a rotary centrifugal impeller device in said compression chamber, means for supporting said impeller device for rotation around said nozzle, a plurality of non-radial chambers opening through said impeller device, said non-radial chambers being each comprised of a curved inner portion having a relatively wide inlet and a relatively short outer portion extended tangentially with relation to said curved inner portion and having a constrictedoutlet,means for rotating said impeller device, said nozzle including passages for conducting air or gas to said centrifugal impeller device, means for forcing liquid contained in said chamber centrifugally through said non-radial chambers, means co-operating with said impeller device to cause a periodical interruption of the entrance of liquid to said non-radial chambers and simultaneously to establish communication with passages in said nozzle through a portion of the inlet ends of said non-radial chambers to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller device and said non-radial chambers by suction created by the liquid discharging from said chambers,

and an independent pressure chamber having gas passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said compression chamber,

rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism, a motor for rotating said impeller mechanism arranged in spaced relation thereto, a tubular member surrounding said stationary means and connected to the underside of said armature and to the upper side of the impeller mechanism, bearings mounted on said stationary means and associated with said tubular member at opposite ends thereof for sup- 5 porting said armature and impeller mechanism for rotation about said stationary means, means for causing in alternation a flow of the liquid through said impeller mechanism by centrifugal action and of the gas by suction created by the out-flowing liquid, and a pressure chamber for receiving the gas compressed as a result of the foregoing operations and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the same. i

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said compression chamber having a vertical extension, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism, a motor for rotating said 5 impeller mechanism arranged in spaced relation thereto, a tubular member surrounding the extension of said stationary means and connected to the underside of said armature and to the upper side of the impeller mechanism, bearings mounted 7 on said extension and associated with said tubular member at opposite ends thereof for supporting said armature and impeller mechanism for rotation on and about said stationary means, means for causing in alternation a flow of the liquid through said impeller mechanism by centrifugal action and of the gas by suction created by the outflow liquid, and a pressure chamber for receiving the gas compressed as a result of the foregoing operations and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the same, said tubular member having at its lower end passages affording communication between said pressure and compression chambers.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid and communicating with a source of gas to be compressed, a rotary impeller having a vortex chamber provided with chambered walls through which said liquid is adapted to be discharged directly from said vortex chamber into said compression chamber by centrifugal action, means co-operating with said impeller for causing in alternation a flow of the liquid through the chambers of said impeller by centrifugal action and of the gas by suction created by the outfiowing liquid, and a pressure chamber distinct from said compression chamber for receiving the gas compressed as a result of the foregoing operations, the chambers of said impeller extending non-radially through the wall thereof and having a smooth bore and a constricted outlet.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber for holding a body of liquid, a stationary member extending into said chamber and having lateral extensions each provided at its outer end with an arcuate bafile, said stationary member having a central passage leading from a source of air or gas and horizontal passages communicating therewith and extending through said extensions and bafiies, an annular rotor mounted for rotation in said compression chamber andproviding an interior vortex chamber having a lower open end submerged in said liquid, a pair of oppositelydisposed rotor chambers extending through the wall of said vortex chamber, each of which has a constricted outlet end and an inlet end adapted to be substantially closed in operation by said baiiies but flared to extend over the horizontal passages in said bafiies, impellers within said vortex chamber for causing liquid in said compression chamber to be forced into and substantially fill said vortex chamber, means for rotating said rotor with the wall of its vortex chamber in substantially sealing contact with said arcuate baffles, whereby the liquid in said vortex chamber will first be caused to flow through said chambers by centrifugal action, and then, as the inlet ends of the rotor chambers pass over said baffles, the latter will prevent the liquid from entering said rotor chambers while gas will be drawn by suction produced by the outgoing fluid through the passages in said bafiles into said rotor chambers through the flared portions of the inlet ends thereof, to be subsequently forced therefrom into said compression chamber by incoming liquid as the inlet ends of said rotor chambers pass off of said bafiies, and a pressure chamber communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism providing a vortex chamber having chambers opening through the walls thereof, means for rotating said impeller mechanism to cause a circulation of said suction created by the discharging liquid, a pressure chamber having gas passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas and means in said vortex chamber for causing the mercury therein to cover said communicating passages and prevent the return of compressed gas to said compression chamber.

13. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, and having walls providing oppositely disposed circular portions and enlargements providing oppositely disposed spaces, said walls having chambers extending therethrough, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge from said ,chambers by centrifugal action, means co-operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the entrance of said liquid into said chambers and simultaneously to establishcommunication with said stationary means to permit gas 'to be drawn into said chambers by suction created by the discharging liquid, means for rotating said impeller mechanism in substantially sealing contact with the circular portions of the wall of the compression chamber, and a pressure chamber having gas passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas, the circular portions of the wall of the compression chamber operating to close the outlet ends of said chambers during the time they are passing over the same.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid and having curved side walls, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action against the curved side walls of said compression chamber, means co-operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to the discharge from the impeller mechanism and simultaneously to establish communication with said stationery means to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging liquid, and to be discharged into said compression chamber above the level of liquid therein, means for rotating said impeller mechanism, and a pressure chamber having gas communication only with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to. contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber,

, hollow, rotary, centrifugal impeller mechanism providing a cylindrical vortex chamber having discharge passages extending through the wall thereof and operating to cause a circulation of said liquid into said vortex chamber and its direct discharge through said passages by centrifugal action, baflles mounted on said stationary means and co-operating with the wall of said chamber to cause a periodical interruption of the entrance of said liquid into the discharge passages from said vortex chamber and simultaneously to establish communication with said stationary means to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging liquid, means for rotating sa d impeller mechanism, and an independent pr :ssure chamber having gas passages communicating with said compression chamber and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

16. In a machine-of the character described,

the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary, centrifugal impeller mechanism providing a vortex chamber having a lower open end immersed in said body of liquid, a top portion provided with downward and outwardly inclined openings affording outlets for-the gas from said compression chamber and a side wall having chambers extending therethrough, means for roating said impeller mechanism to cause a circulation of said liquid into said vortex chamber and its discharge through the chambers in its s de wall by centrifugal action, means cooperating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to said chambers and simultaneously to establish communication between said chambers and said stationary means to permit gas to be drawn into said chambers by suction created by the discharging liquid, and a pressure chamber having gas communication with said compres-- ion chamber through said inclined openings and having an outlet for permitting the utilization of the compressed air or gas.

1'7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber for holding a body of liquid, a stationary member extending into said chamber and having lateral extensions each provided at its outer end with an arcuate baflie, said stationary member having a central passage leading from a source of air or gas and horizontal passages communicating therewith and extending through said extensions and baflies, each of the latter having a circumferential recess communicating with one of said horizontal passages, an annular rotor mounted for rotation in said compression chamber and providing an interior vortex chamber having a lower open end submerged in said liquid, a plurality of rotor chambers extending through the wall of said vortex chamber, each of which has a constricted outlet end and an inlet end adapted to be closed in operation against inlet of mercury by said bafiles while maintaining register with said circumferential recesses, means within said vortex chamber for causing liquid in said compression chamber to be forced into and substantially fill said vortex chamber and to revolve with the latter when it is rotated, means for rotating said rotor with the'wall of its vortex chamber in substantially sealing contact with said arcuate bafiles, whereby the liquid in said vortex chamber will first be caused to flow through said chambers by centrifugal action, and then, as the inlet ends of the rotor chambers pass over said bailies, the latter will prevent the liquid from entering said rotor chambers while gas will be drawn by suction produced by the outgoing fluid through the passages and recesses in said bailies into said rotor chambers, to be subsequently forced therefrom into said compression chamber by incoming liquid as the inlet ends of said rotor chambers pass beyond the re cesses in said bafiles, the relation of said recesses and inlet ends as to their period of register being such that communication with said passages will be cut off in each cycle of operation before the total quantity of liquid has been discharged from said rotor chambers.

18. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber for holding a body of liquid, a stationary member extending into said chamber and having lateral extensions each provided at its outer end with an arcuate bafile, said stationary member having a central passage leading from a source of air or gas and horizontal passages communicating therewith and extending through said extensions and baflies, each of the latter having a circumferential recess communicating with one of said horizontal passages, an annular rotor mounted for rotation in said compression chamber and providing an interior vortex chamber having a lower end submerged in said liquid, a plurality of rotor chambers extending through the Wall of said vortex chamber, each of which has a constricted outlet end, and an inlet end adapted to be closed in operation against inlet of mercury by said baiiies but enlarged to register with said circumferential recesses, means within said vortex chamber for causing liquid in said compression chamber to be forced into and substantially fill said vortex chamber and to revolve with the latter when it is rotated, means for rotating said rotor with the wall of its vortex chamber in substantially sealing contact with said arcuate baffles, whereby the liquid in said vortex chamber will first be caused to flow through said chambers by centrifugal action, and then, as the inlet ends of the rotor chambers pass over said baffles, the latter will prevent the liquid from entering said rotor chambers while gas will be drawn by suction produced by the outgoing fluid through the passages and recesses in said baffles into said rotor chambers through the enlarged portions thereof to be subsequently forced therefrom into said compression chamber by incoming liquid as the inlet ends of said rotor chambers pass beyond the recesses in said baffles, the

relation of said recesses and inlet ends as to their period of register being such that communication with said passages will be cut off in each cycle of operation before the total quantity of liquid has been discharged from said rotor chambers.

19. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to. contain a body of liquid, stationary means for admitting air or gas into said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said liquid to r said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action, means co-operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said liquid to the discharge from the impeller mechanism and simultaneously to establish communication with said stationary member to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging fluid, a pressure chamber for receiving the compressed gas or air and having an outlet for permitting the utilization thereof, an electric motor, a member surrounding said stationary member within said pressure chamber and rigidly connecting the armature of said motor and said impeller mechanism, and pre-lubricated sealed bearings for said member supported on said stationary means.

20. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to. contain a body of mercury, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary centrifugal impeller mechanism operating to cause a circulation of said mercury into said impeller mechanism and its discharge therefrom by centrifugal action, means co-operating with said impeller mechanism to cause a periodical interruption of the passage of said mercury to the discharge from the impeller mechanism and simultaneously to establish communication with said stationary means to permit gas to be drawn into said impeller mechanism by suction created by the discharging mercury, lubricated bearing means for supporting said impeller mechanism within said compression chamber for rotation about said stationary means, means for rotating said impeller mechanism, a pressure chamber for receiving the compressed gas and having an outlet for permitting the utilization thereof, and means for preventing contact between the mercury and the lubricant of the bearings.

21. In a machine of the character described having a compression chamber for containing a heavy liquid, such as mercury, and impeller mechanism for circulating and discharging said mercury in a manner to force gas through the apparatus to compress the same and to continuously return the heavy liquid to the compression chamber, and having means for liquefying the compressed gas, a chamber communicating with the source of gas to be compressed and having valve communication with the compression chamber, and means for controllably admitting a portion of the liquefied gas to said chamber to cool the body of heavy liquid in said compression chamber between compression stages.

22. In a refrigerating system having a closed circuit for the circulation of a liquid refrigerant and gas, a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of mercury and having valved communication with a source of gas to be circulated and liquefied in said system, rotary, centrifugal impeller mechanism mounted in said compression chamber, means for causing in alternation a flow of the mercury through said impeller mechanism and its return to said compression chamber by centrifugal action, and the passage of gas into the impeller mechanism by suction created by the outflowing mercury, and its discharge therefrom by the pressure of a succeeding body of infio-wing mercury, the timing and relation of parts being such as to insure that none of the highly compressed gas in the compression chamber shall pass back to said source of gas, a pressure chamber for receiving the compressed gas having an outlet for supplying the same to said system, and means for utilizing a portion of the liquid refrigerant and causing it to evaporate in contact with said compression chamber to cool the same and the mercury contained therein.

23. In a refrigeration system, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of mercury, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary, centrifugal impeller mechanism, bearing means for supporting said impeller mechanism within said compression chamber for rotation about said stationary means in such relationship therewith as to receive gas from said stationary means, means for rotating said impeller mechanism, means cooperating with said impeller mechanism for causing in alternation a flow of the mercury therethrough and its return to the compression chamber by centrifugal action and the passage of gas into the impeller mechanism by suction created 'by the outfiowing mercury, and its discharge therefrom by the pressure of a succeeding body of inflowing mercury, the timing and relation of parts being such as to insure that none of the highly compressed gas in the compression chamber shall pass back'int'o' said stationary means,

, a pressure chamber distinct from said compression chamber and arranged in communication therewith, a chamber surrounding this compression chamber, and means for utilizing a portion of the liquid refrigerant of the system in said surrounding chamber to cool the mercury in said compression chamber. 1

24. In a refrigerating system, the combination of a compression chamber arranged to contain a body of mercury, stationary means for admitting air or gas to said chamber, rotary, centrifugal impeller mechanism, bearing means for supporting said impeller mechanism within compression chamber for rotation about said stationary means in such relationship therewith as to receive gas from said stationary means, means for rotating said impeller mechanism, means cooperating with said impeller mechanism for causing in alternation a flow of the mercury therethrough and its return to the compression chamber by centrifugal action, and the passage of gas into the impeller mechanism by suction created by the outflowing mercury, and its discharge therefrom by the pressure of a succeeding body of inflowing mercury, the timing and relation of parts being such as to insure that none of the highly compressed gas in the compression chamber shall pass into said stationary means, a pressure chamber distinct from said compression chamber and arranged in communication therewith, a chamber surrounding said compression chamber, and means for utilizing a portion of,

the liquid refrigerant of the system in said surrounding chamber to cool the mercury in said compression chamber, said stationary means being provided with a valved passage communicating with the chamber surrounding said compression chamber.

EDWARD WILSON. 

